A Fairy Tale
by corikane
Summary: They meet in a land far, far away - but will still fall in love as they always do. (It's AU, of sorts.)


Disclaimer: The characters of Warehouse 13 are not mine. I merely borrowed them for entertainment purposes. No copyright infringement intended.

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So, there once was this princess, Myka. She was to sit in the castle most days because her parents, the king and queen they were, did not allow her to venture out. They were worried for her because princesses were apt to be kidnapped or murdered or some such stuff.

Myka was bored and she always looked so sad. The king said to his wife:

"She needs someone to entertain her." The queen thought about this.

"Maybe she needs to get married." The kind didn't like that idea, as he was her daddy he liked being the man in her life, he didn't need the competition.

"She's still so young, maybe a female companion could cheer her up." That's when he started writing letters all over the country to find a suitable noble woman to be his daugher's companion. They all came before him but when Myka tried to talk to them - about books, and fencing, and adventures she so wanted to undertake - they all seemed dull and did not understand her dreams. She turned them all down and when the last noble woman left she turned to her father and said:

"It's all right, father, I will just go to my room and read a book."

So she did.

It happened at that time that a dashing knight roamed the country. He was clad in an old armor that was in need of some repairs since the knight had fought many battles successfully. He fought against evil lords and kings, and sometimes pirates (but only when they crossed paths which wasn't very often because ships couldn't run and horses didn't swin out to sea).

The identity of that knight was something of a mystery since he never lifted his visor or took off his helmet when in company. Some said, he was a king's son, others said he killed a king's son and took his armor. All were in awe.

So was the queen, Myka's mother, when he came to their country. She had heard of the man, nobody knew whether he was young or old, and she wanted to meet him to see if he was of high birth. The queen had not given up her plan to marry her daughter yet. She sent for the knight and he appeared before her. With him he had a boy of barely 10 years who talked for the knight. Everybody thought that the knight might have lost his tongue in a fight or was mute from birth. The knight never said.

The boy voiced the thoughts and wishes of his master so well that it convinced the queen that the knight must be of high birth because, clearly, the boy was not and somebody must have taught him. She told her daughter that she wished her to marry the knight.

Myka was not too happy that her mother wanted to marry her to somebody she did not know. She knew that, though her father did not want her to marry anybody, he would always consent to his lady's wishes, so she did not expect any help from him. She decided, therefore, that she must help herself and sneaked out at night. She wanted to see this man, wanted to know what he looked like without his armor. She stole to the cottage where the knight had taken quarters until the wedding but her quest was in vain. The curtains were drawn, the door locked, she could not find a way inside.

The next day, however, the knight appeared before her. The boy who was with him sat with Myka and talked to her. He talked of lands she did not know, animals she had not heard of, and dreams she never dared dream. And it all made her happy. And it all made her sad because she could not look into the eyes that were the windows to the thoughts and wonders that had been revealed to her through the boy.

But the boy made a promise in the name of the knight: that she would see the wonders he had seen, that she would travel the roads he had travelled and that he would be by her side.

In return he asked for a promise himself: that she should not see his face until after the vows were spoken.

Myka consented although it torured her more and more each day as she sat and conversed with the boy that she should not be able to look upon the person she came to love through the stories the boy told her.

She voiced her concerns to her father and mother but they could no more persuade the knight to reveal himself than she could. The wedding day drew nearer and was finally upon them.

Myka wore the most beautiful dress of white and light blue that brought out the green of her eyes. Her dark locks were tamed by one thin band only because the boy had told her that the knight liked her untamed mane very much.

They came to stand before the priest. Myka said her vows, her hand lightly resting on the knight's gloved hand. The boy answered with the knight's vows and when the priest made them one Myka looked for the first time ever into the dark eyes that shown through the hole in the visor. And she knew.

The priest blessed the new couple and everybody held their breath when the knight for the first time in company lifted his helmet off his head - and a silky mane of black hair flowed over her shoulders. A slight smile played upon the knight's lips, she was more beautiful than Myka had ever known another human being to be and when she leaned over to capture Myka's lips in a first kiss she eagerly responded.

The king and queen, meanwhile, together with their whole court were bewildered: the knight was a lady. The shock lasted only until the king leaned over to his lady and said:

"I guess, both of us ought to be happy now. You have found her a husband and a female companion." His lady looked at him, she wasn't quite as happy as he seemed to be but what was she to do?

Myka and the knight finally ended their kiss and looked lovingly at each other.

"And just so you know, my name is Helena," the knight said in way of introduction. Myka laughed and put her arms around her love.

This was the beginning - and they lived happily ever after.


End file.
